Blog

Although I wanted to jump right into the fall season, my first blog needs to start with understanding Mother Nature. After dealing with an extremely hot, wet and long summer in Florida this year- I am excited about all the new fall color coming in and can’t wait to talk about it! Look out for my next blog focusing on the difference between fall color and fall annuals. Understanding your environment will lead to successful gardening. Knowing how to work with Mother Nature and not against her is the key- Mother Nature will always win! Stop throwing your money away on plants that are not right for your area!

Most of our customers come from “somewhere else.” Whether it’s the New England area or as close as Georgia, we are in Northeast Florida. Right away, if you are new to this area- you think “Florida” and you think “everything grows year round” and “all” palm trees will grow here. Not the case! Sure, all of our trees do not change colors and drop their leaves. Most actually do stay green during the winter. Understand that we are 4-5 hours north of Miami. This means we can get 10-15 degrees cooler in the winter months (Dec.-Feb.). We also have micro climates here and challenges of the salt winds. That’s the price of living in paradise!

In my next few blogs, I will try to educate my customers. Whether new to the area or maybe you’ve been here awhile and want to be a better gardener!

When I train my staff, I tell them “play detective”- before suggesting plants to customers ask lots of questions:

Do you have deer in your area?

Do you live by the water- salt spray?

What’s your sun exposure?

What is your height/ size requirement?

What is your expectation of this plant? Do you want it to last for years or seasonal color?

Who will water your plants? Do you have a sprinkler/ irrigation system?

Will you be here for at least two weeks to water it in by hand until your system can take over?